4 out of 5

Label: Analogical Force

Produced by: p1nkf1re

Sure, go ahead and be releasing gems of Braindance nostalgia since 2017 and forget to tell me.

P1nkf1re, with digital and physical albums and singles dating back to 2017, has gathered up some new and old tracks for their AF debut, Red. Though opener Uluf Izenister is a rather unassuming bit of throwback funk of a lightly DMX Krew vibe, throw on some headphones and pay attention to the synth layering P1nk carefully employs ‘neath the video gamey beat: it’s indicative of the delights to come.

“Braindance nostalgia” is a bit too lightweight for this stuff, even if it will draw to mind some of the border Rephlex artists like Astrobotnia or Yee-King or Global Goon: ‘Red’s tracks all show off a familiarity with / appreciation for that 90s era of tunes, with a focus on musicality over glitch, but there’s a nice juggling with modern day linearity that really makes for the best kind of nostalgia: it gives you the essence of the classics, but sounds equally at home today.

P1nk’s production is really warm; glowing. Although the mid-album tracks like Horah (a very ‘Botnia-esque banger) have some dark turns and slightly more aggressive beats, the sound is embrasive, if not appealingly “rough” in an analog way.

As somewhat mentioned regarding the opener, but extending throughout, there’s a bit of an unassuming vibe to the EP: it is a laid back affair. That’s certainly part of its appeal, but it makes the sum somewhat greater than the parts, with individual songs funky and fun without being the most directly memorable. But the whole experience sticks for sure, making it desirable to return again and again.